Embarrassment is embarrassment, but it does not mean that there is no chance.
Gawain's first reaction was quick and timely enough. He rushed out with a big stride, his eyes fixed on the tennis ball, and he started the backhand with both hands early.
Federer's return of serve is ingenious, but at the same time he sacrifices other things, such as speed, power, placement, etc., in order to break the deadlock.
At this time, you can see that the landing point of the return ball is only slightly beyond the bottom line of the service area; and this shot is a light push, which lacks strength. The tennis ball flies as if there is no propulsion and cannot continue to move forward.
This also leaves some room for Gawain to counterattack.
If he chooses to continue to stand on the baseline, then Gao Wen can choose to cut the long line and push the baseline deeper to create pressure. Because the tennis ball cannot continue to fly forward, forcing force may miss the hitting point, and the effect is unsatisfactory.
If he chooses to cut through the baseline to hit the net, then Gao Wen can step forward in advance. Since the tennis ball can't fly, he can finish the ball by himself, and follow the forward momentum to hit the net, completely overturning this round.
At this time, the first thing to avoid is hesitation, and the second thing to avoid is not being able to go up.
What Federer laid out was not just a trap, but also a psychological calculation. As long as Gawain was a little tight or hesitant because of consecutive break points, Federer would not hesitate on the next shot.
The killing move is hidden but not released, just waiting.
So, what about Gawain?
Step laterally and step forward in advance.
There was no hesitation or hesitation. He was moving, observing and making decisions at the same time. His judgment was completed in a blink of an eye. His first reaction was extremely fast, and then he headed towards the position of the tennis ball amidst the bumps and turbulence.
Two-handed backhand, push, impact, pressure, body weight and swing power are superimposed to hit the front with all your strength, and the shot is very firm——
It is not a complete swing, but using the body as a backing, straightening the forearm, and pushing the racket in a small range, so that the pace of continuous surfing can complete the follow-up push.
Snapped.
The sound of hitting the ball is not clear, but you can see the tennis ball flying low and fast, like a dragonfly scurrying out silently before a rainstorm.
Turn passivity into initiative.
The moment of hitting the ball also becomes an opportunity to get close to the net.
The tennis ball turned into a ray of light and shadow and crossed the net along a diagonal line toward Federer's backhand baseline. It was light but sharp, carrying a force that broke through the air.
tear.
You could vaguely hear the sound of the air tearing, and at the same time, the breath of everyone in the audience was cut off. No one expected Federer's return, and no one expected Gawain's response. A lot of information needed to be processed in the blink of an eye, and their brains needed to process it.
The running speed is really not keeping up.
Across the net, the same goes for Federer.
One second ago, Gawain was in a panic.
The next second, Federer staggered.
After a sudden stop and turn, and a second start, Federer had already moved quickly laterally, but...
The speed is slightly behind me. The most important thing is that I can't keep my feet on the ground, my knees can't be straightened completely, and I can't transmit the power of my calves to the ground.
Is this an early warning of low physical fitness, or Gawain's pressure to adapt to circumstances?
Federer had no time to take care of it for the time being, and his attention was still completely focused on this point. While stumbling, his movement speed was still forcibly increased. Before he reached the position, he had already begun to quickly look at the entire field with his peripheral vision——
Where is Gawain?
Tread, tread, tread.
There was a sound of treading waves in his ears. Federer lowered his center of gravity and sprinted quickly. In a blink of an eye, he was close to the position. He immediately judged the trap of this return ball. Gawain's downward pressure flat shot was very sufficient, and the tennis ball was like a drill.
Floor machines generally drill into the ground, and the reflection angle after landing is small enough, compressing Federer's swing space.
Even the bounce ball is not easy to hit, because the racket surface is not easy to control, it is too low to hit the net, too high to lift up, and Gao Wen is stuck in front of the net.
In the blink of an eye, Gawain was able to complete such an exquisite layout, which is really impressive.
If this were Go, Federer would definitely be able to find loopholes if he had enough time to think, and naturally he wouldn't be that powerful; but this is tennis, things are changing rapidly, and Federer's reaction time is less than a second.
what to do?
However, what is a desperate situation for ordinary people is not ordinary people.
While stumbling, Federer's upper body had already rushed out before his steps were in place. He raised the racket and directly extended the racket without triggering it.
Is this preparing to hit a rebound ball?
It counts, but it doesn’t count.
Federer backhands with one hand, places the racket in front of the trajectory of the tennis ball's reflection angle, waits for the tennis ball to rush over by itself, and then flicks his wrist.
Literally, in a row.
What kind of batting action is this?
It’s nothing, moves that are not taught at all in professional tennis schools, and even irregular hitting moves that the coach will scold for making no sense. After all, not just anyone can become Federer.
And in front of him is Federer himself.
It seems like a casual or even sloppy shot, but it wraps around the tennis ball and removes all the power and spin, leaving a straight line along a small flat arc.
Flying straight and close to the sideline.
An understatement.
His skills astonished everyone.
Federer found a way through Gawain's forehand gap.
Gawain, moved.
One big stride, two big strides, sprinting sideways at full speed against the net, running faster and faster, but he immediately realized his predicament.
Because Federer's shot is still climbing slowly, rising slowly like climbing stairs, completing breakthroughs from three directions: the horizontal axis, the vertical axis and the vertical axis.
This is the three-dimensional space.
Difficult. Difficult to reach the sky.
Gawain's speed had increased to the extreme, but looking at the tennis ball, it was like a star, close at hand but far away in the horizon. Moreover, this was in front of the net, where the reaction time and hitting space were compressed several times.
Move, kick off, take off.
Gao Wen did not hesitate. He did not think about the option of retreating back to the bottom line to pursue, because he knew that Federer would definitely hit the net immediately, and because he knew that if he pursued the bottom line, he might miss the only chance to control the situation.
He needs to take risks.
This time, even Gawain was not sure whether his adventure would succeed, maybe there was only a 10% success rate; but Gawain still jumped.
One kick, one jump, and then you are free from the shackles of gravity.
Soar into the sky.
Rise, keep rising.
When the body enters a state of weightlessness, none of this is familiar to it. The body, racket, position, etc. all become unfamiliar. How to exert force, how to stay in the air, and how to control are all based on instinct.
This also means that any hesitation, any unfamiliarity, or even a gap that you are not aware of may become an index of failure.
However, Gawain did not waver——
The eyes are clear, the mind is clear, and the will is firm.
Even at the moment of taking off, there is still time to observe the scene on the other side of the court, capture Federer's position, make a judgment on the three-dimensional space of the entire court, and then see Federer's figure.
He was about to go to the net, but at the moment when he started, he saw Gao Wen's movement, his steps stopped, and then he pulled horizontally and returned to the center of the court to prepare for defense.
Gawain knew that at the tactical level, he had taken the lead, and the next step was...